PS5 drops free taster for October AAA action-adventure that's already left us dazzled

Konami has dropped a free playable demo for the latest entry in the legendary Castlevania series, and it’s available on PS5 - as well as PC and Xbox Series X/S.

The Castlevania series has been one of the longest-running and most popular video game franchises since Konami released the first game in 1986 on the NES.

The series typically follows the vampire-killing Belmont family as they take on Count Dracula and his sinister minions, with a gothic-horror theme. The early games focused on challenging 2D action-adventure gameplay with platforming and tough enemies, eventually helping define the metroidvania genre.

While Castlevania has explored 3D over the years, including 2010’s successful Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, sometimes it’s nice to roll things back. That’s exactly what we’re getting with Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse later this month.

Play Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse early with the free demo

Ahead of its launch later this month, the free playable demo for Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is available to download now. However, it’s not just available on PlayStation 5, but also on PC, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch consoles.

You can find it on the digital store for your preferred platform.

In collaboration with Konami, Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is co-developed by Evil Empire, the studio behind the DLC for the critically acclaimed 2018 action-adventure platformer Dead Cells. It also developed The Rogue Prince of Persia, so Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse already has a solid track record behind it in this particular genre.

Will your demo progress carry over to the full game?

Yes, it will. However, you’ll need to keep the demo save data on your platform, and it can only be transferred to the full version of Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse on that same platform.

READ MORE: PlayStation Plus adds three more free games today including a highly-rated action game

What’s the story of Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse?

“1499. Paris is engulfed in flames as monstrous creatures suddenly emerge from the shadows. Trevor Belmont, the hero who defeated Dracula, ventures into the burning streets with his daughter, Rose Belmont,” reads the synopsis of the game.

“Armed with the legendary holy whip, the Vampire Killer, they hunt down the beasts bleeding from the looming castle. Rose is soon swept up in the dark conspiracy that lurks beneath. Will she succeed in saving Paris from devastation?”

Here’s what we said about Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse

"When the game was first announced, I was initially dissuaded by the art style. I’m a sucker for pixel art, and because I have so much love for the classic games in the series, the game’s modern look didn’t appeal to me,” said GAMINGbible’s Sam Cawley, in his hands-on preview.

“However, after going hands-on with the game for an hour, I can’t lie - it looks fantastic. It’s really grown on me, and while everything in the game’s forefront looks top-notch, it’s the background vistas that really sold me. All in all, I’m very, very excited for Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, and I hope its success leads to many more games in the future.”

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse will be released on October 15, 2026.